Fall-board for grand pianos.



C. MEHLIN.

FALL BOARD FOR GRAND PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.10, 1912.

1,085,927. Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

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' INVENTOR U. MEHLIN.

FALL BOARD FOR GRAND PI-ANOS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onnicn.

CHARLES MEHLIN, OF FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY.

FALL-BOARD FOR GRAND PIANOS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES MERLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Fort Lee, in the county of Bergen, in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fall-Boards for Grand Pianos, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof.

The invention relates to fall-boards such as are particularly adapted to be used on grand pianos. In constructions hitherto employed it has been found that when a piano is played the fingernails of the performer strike the fall-board above the black-keys with the result that the fall-board is marred and quickly becomes unsightly by reason of scratches thereon for a distance about three inches above the keys, and the performers movements are accordingly interfered with.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fallboard such that the finger nails of the performer cannot strike the same when the piano is in use.

In accordance with the invention the lower or rear portion of the fall-board, when the latter is in open position, is inclined rearwardly from a line about three inches above the keys leaving a considerable space to the rear of the black-keys so that the fall-board itself fis not struck and marred by the nails of the performer. In this position the upper or front portion of the fall board stands in a substantially vertical position, as usual. The exposed portion of the keys in the open space between the blackkeys and the lower edge of the fall-board may be covered by a ke -rail of attractive appearance which may be formed in the shape of a convenient rack for pencils, etc, so that it combines the qualities of ornamentation and utility, besides performing its usual function of limiting the upward movement of the keys.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fall-board which may readily be secured to or removed from the end boards which support the same, and that too, without removing the key blocks at the end of the keyboard as is necessary in constructions now employed.

Still another object is to construct and mount the fall-board so that the weight of the inclined rear portion is behind the vertical plane of the pivot, so that accidental Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 10, 1912.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

Serial No. 735,980.

falling of the board from its vertical position is prevented. The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a grand piano provided with the improved fallboard. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a fall-board constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified fall-board constructed in accordance with the present invention. Figs. a and 5 are fragmentary detail views of the hinge connection between the two sections of the fall-board shown in Fig. 3.

For the purposes of this description the improved fall-board is illustrated as applied to a piano (4 of the grand type, but it is conceivable that by suitable modifications well within the spirit of this invention, the improved board may be applied to an upright piano. As this description proceeds, however, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the primary application of the invention is in connection with grand pianos.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 2 Where the fallboard 5 is constructed in one piece, composed of a fiat forward or upper portion Z) and a rearward or lower portion 5 integral therewith, but angularly disposed with respect thereto. The forward portion Z) may be of any approved form, preferably being curved at its outer edge, so that when the fall-board is in closed position the curved portion will extend downwardly and completely inclose the keys 0 of the piano, as usual. As indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, when the fall-board is in open position the rear portion 5 is inclined rearwardly from the forward portion Z) from a line about three inches above the keys. In this open position, the fiat part of the forward portion 5' is in a substantially vertical plane as formerly and may rest against a suitable cushion stop (Z carried by the front wall (Z of the piano a. By reason of the inclination of the rearward portion 5 a considerable space is left to the rear of the black-keys 6 so that the nails of the performer will not strike the fall-board when the piano is played. It will be understood by this construction that a portion of each key 0 to the rear of the black-keys 6 will be left exposed.

In order that the entire portion of the piano between the arms may present an attractive appearance as well as that the keys may be held from being lifted a suitable key guard f which may be of veneer or finished in any attractive manner, is mounted over the exposed portion of the keys. The key guard f may have its upper surface of any desired shape and may be formed, as herein illustrated as a convenient rack for a baton, etc.

The fall-board b is preferably carried by suitable T-headed arms g let into its ends and pivotally mounted by studs 9 on the arms of the piano an The pivots g are preferably disposed substantially in the same plane with the flat part of the upper or forward portion Z) but are so disposed with respect to the lower or rear portion 6 that the weight of the latter, when the fallboard is in open position, is to the rear of the vertical plane of the pivots. By this arrangement it will be understood that the weight of the rear or lower portion Z2 of the fall-board as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, serves to maintain the fall board in open position and to prevent the same from accidentally falling.

In F 3 is illustrated a fall-board of the two-fold type constructed generally in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the fall-board comprises a forward or upper portion 6 constructed substantially in the same way as the corresponding portion 6 illustrated in Fig. 2.

To this upper portion 5 is hinged a lower or rear portion 6 of substantially the same form as the rear portion 6 as hereinbefore described. The forward fold b has a rabbet 6 formed on its rear edge, which re ceives the front edge of the rear fold 6 The base of this rabbeted section is angularly disposed to the vertical, as are the contiguous edges of the folds and b so that the latter form in general outline, a fallboard similar to that shown in Fig. 2. The line of this hinge connection is about three inches above the key 0 of the piano and corresponds substantially to the line of the intersection of the fiat parts of the two portions 1) and b of the one-piece fall-board.

The invention is not to be limited to the form of hinge connection employed, but for the purposes of this description a suitable hinge is illustrated in Figs. 4c and 5, which permits difierent degrees of angularity between the portions of the fall-board while the latter is being moved from open to closed position and vice versa. These hinges are preferably mounted on suitable plates 72, set in corresponding opposed recesses formed in the contiguous edges of the portions 72 and 6 As will appear from Fig. 5, the hinges are of the invisible type and comprise two bell-crank levers z pivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends and each cured to the arms of the piano. sition, although part of the weight of the tally falling down.

having one end pivotally secured to one of said portions 6 and o The free ends of each of these levers are guided by studs a" traveling in slots it formed in the opposite plates It, respectively. By this arrangement, varying degrees of angularity of the two portions and b of the fall-board are permitted as before pointed out, while the hinge connection itself is invisible. In this embodiment of the fall-board the forward or upper portion 6 is hinged to the arms of the piano at by means of an arm g let into the ends thereof and pivotally mounted on the arms by means of a stud g which is readily accessible to permit the removal of the entire board. The stud g is preferably a little forward of the vertical plane of the upper portion 6 when the fall-board is in open position for a purpose to be later pointed out.

WVhen the fall-board is in closed position as shown by full lines in Fig. 3, the rear or lower portion 6* rests on suitable guide blocks 7c secured on the arms of the piano. By this arrangement, it will be understood that the hinges z' are relieved from the weight of the rear portion Z), while the en tire cover is held in closed position. As the fall-board is moved to open position, the rear portion 6* is forced rearwardly over the supporting blocks 72 and during its travel to its final position, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, it assumes varying degrees of angularity with respect to the fiat part of the forward portion 6 as shown generally in Fig. 5. In the open position of the fallboard, the rear edge of the lower portion 6* rests on other supporting blocks also se- In this porear portion is supported by the blocks is, the drag thereof on the upper portion 72 at a point to the rear of the vertical plane of the pivot 5/, serves to maintain the upper portion in its substantially vertical position and prevents the fall-board from acciden- At the same time this weight in the rear of the upper portion makes the movement thereof very light and easy.

As before pointed out in connection with the description of the fall-board illustrated in Fig. 2, the exposed portion of the keys 0 to the rear of the black-keys caused by the rearward inclination of the rear fall 79* may be covered by a key guard f of any desired character.

What I claim is:

1. An upright piano including keys, and a fall board mounted on the piano case, said fall board having when in open position an upper portion with its front surface vertical and a. lower portion having its front surface inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the front surface of the upper portion.

An upright piano including keys, and a fall board, having when in open position an upper portion with its front surface vertical and a lower portion having its front face inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the upper portion and terminating in alower edge disposed at the rear of the black keys to leave a space between the black keys of the piano and the lower portion of the board.

3. In combination with the keys of a piano, a fall-board adapted to extend over the keys and movable to uncover the keys to permit the playing of the piano and composed of an upper portion disposed vertically when the board is in the last named position and a lower portion inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the first named portion, arms secured to said fallboard and pivotal supports for said arms, the center of gravity of the board when in said position being disposed to the rear of the vertical plane of the pivotal supports.

4:. An upright piano including keys and a one-piece fall board mounted on the piano case and composed of two portions, the lower portion when the fall board is in open position being inclined rearwardly from the upper portion and terminating in a lower edge disposed to the rear of the black keys to leave a space between the black keys of the piano and the lower portion of the board.

5. In combination with the keys of a piano, a fall-board adapted to extend over the keys and movable to uncover the keys to permit the playing of the piano and formed with two angularly disposed flat portions, the upper port-ion being disposed vertically when the fall-board is in the last named position and its lower portion being inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the upper portion to leave an open space to the rear of the black keys and pivotal supports for said fall-board in substantially the same vertical plane with the fiat part of the upper portion thereof, the center of gravity of the board when in this position being disposed to the rear of the pivotal supports.

6. In combination with the keys of a piano, :1 fall-board adapted to extend over the keys and movabl to uncover the keys to permit the playing of the piano and formed with two angularly disposed flat portions, the upper portion being disposed in a substantially vertical plane when the fall-board is in the last named position, the lower or rear portion being inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the upper portion to leave a space to the rear of the black keys, T- headed arms let into the ends of said fall board and pivotal supports for said arms in substantially the same vertical plane with the flat part of the forward portion of the board, the center of gravity of the board when in this position being disposed to the rear of said pivotal supports.

This specification signed and witnessed this 4th day of December, A. D. 1912.

CHARLES MEHLIN.

Signed in the presence of- KATHERINE NORTON, lVORTHINGTON CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. O.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,085,927, granted February 3, 1914, upon the application of Charles Mehlin, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, for an improvement in Fall-Boards for Grand Pianos, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 124, and page 3, lines 1 and 24, strike out the words An upright and insert the article A; and that the proper corrections have been made in the files and records of the Patent Oflice and are hereby made in the said Letters Patent.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of March, A. D., 1914.

J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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